Folding receptacle



p 1.932. A. ZEINDLHOFER FOLDING RECEPTACLE Filed Feb. 21, 1928 7 5 0 0 T 5 WZ md 4711b); .Zein

BY Y MATTORNEY' Patented Sept. 6, 1932 warren STATES,

ANTON ZEINDLHOFER,

ATENT OFFICE or VIENNA, AUSTRIA, AssrGNoR 'ro Gnoovn tocnoo INc, or

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or New onK FOLDING REcEr'rAcnn v Application filed. February 21, 1928. Serial No. 255,866.

' close the receptacle.

An object of the invention is to provide a receptacle containing a plurality of compartments or pockets adapted to be openedand closed separately, and equipped with simple but easily operated and elfective'means for securing the mouth of the bag; so that all the pockets of compartments may be kept closed, or opened at will when access to any one or all of said compartments is desired.

. The nature of'the invention is fully disclosed in the following description taken with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, but the disclosure is explanatory only and I' may vary the details of construction without departing from the principle of the invention as the latter is defined in the appended claims.

On'the drawing,-

Figur 1 is a side view of a receptacle in the form of a handbag or the like according to my invention,

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the top thereof enlarged, I I

Fig. 3 is a View of what is shown in Fig. 2, seen from the left,

Fig. 4c is a similar view to Fig. 2 showing one part of the bag opened to give access to one compartment,

Fig. 5 is an end view of what is shown in Fig. 4 viewed from the left, Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts in position to give accessto all compartments, Fig. 7 is a View of what is shown in Fig. 6 seen from the left,

Fi 8 is a section along 88 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view along the line. 9-9 of Fig. 2. i l

The same numerals identify the same parts throughout.

While I have shown the invention as practiced in connection with a handbag of cloth or other collapsible material. I may obviously employ a similar construction for valises and other casings or containers in which the essential features of invention may be incorporated.

. As indicated in the numeral Ito indicate a'pair of frames'or hinge members; these members eachbeing in the form of. an inverted U hinged together at 2. The body ofthe receptacle which is shown as a cloth bag Sis: secured to the inner edges of these frame members along the edges of its mouth, so that to open the receptacle the frames are separated and to close the same they are moved together. Between the two members 1is a similar frame member 4 of the same sizeand 'sha'pe also connected to the hinges 2, and at thecorners of the in-v termediate frame member 4 and on the outside of the sameare loops 5 to be attached to the ends of a carrying strap 6; Asshown in Figs. 8 and 9the inner edge of the intermediate member may be channel shaped or grooved to receivethe'edgesof' a pair of partitions 7 which aresecured to themember 4 from one hinge'2 to the other and to the sides and bottom of the bag 3 on the interior of the same. The sides of the bag may alsobe lined with suitable cloth or fabric shown at 8; This fabric may be connected along'its edges to the edgesof the partitions Hence. between each of the partitions or layers of cloth and-the lining 8 will be a-pocket 9; twoofthesepockets 9 or compartments being shown; and the user, of course, may put in one of these pockets anything which he desiresto keep separate 'frornthe' contents of the other, by swinging away from the intermediatemember 4 one of the frame members 1. One of these pockets can be opened while the other can be closed or both can be opened atwill. H

The frames 1 may be channel shaped as indicated in the cross-sectional views of Figs; 8 and 9 and the edgesof the mouth ofthe bag 3 and linings 8 may be secured within the grooves or channels afforded by theseframe members 1. The inside of the mem drawing, I use the bers 1 maybe provided with metal strips 10 the tops of the frames 1. Each strip or plate will have its upper or outer edge formed to provide a pair of ribs 11 and 11a extending laterally; the ribs 11 and 11a of one strip projecting toone' side of the bag and the ribs of the other'str-ip projecting to the opposite side of the bag. These ribs are separated by a space 12 adjacent the middle of the bag, and each rib 11 may be the longer of the two and be joined adjacent themiddle' of the frame 1 to a stop 13 which is formed on the plate 10. The two strips 10 as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8 have the ribs 11 and 11a thereon arranged reversely with respect to each other, so that the rib 11 of one strip is adjacent the rib 11aof the other; and the two spaces 12 will not be directly opposite, but will be disposed. each a little away from the middle of its plate 10; one space towards one end and the remaining space: towards the opposite end. The purpose of this constrnction will appear presently. f :.v

.Mounted on the. top of, the intermediate frame member 4, which will have the cross sectional shape of the head of a rail, are sliding means in the form of apair of catches or securing elements 14 and 18. Each of these elements will have projections to go under the top of. the intermediate member 4, as shown at 15 in Fig. 8; and other inwardly extendingprojections 16 to engage the ribs 11 and.11-a. along the tops or outer edges of the stripsor plates 10. As indicated in Fig. 8, the inward extending projections 15 and 16 of each of the catches-'14 and 18 are disposedon both sides of each catch; so

that when these catches are mounted on the frame 4 they can engage the rails 11 and 11-a of both strips 10. The strips 10 projecto above the framesv 1 not over the-full length. of the tops thereof, but the parts which carry the rails 11 and 11a and project above the tops of the frames 1,, terminate short of the ends of the tops; so that the ribs" 11, and 11--a have a combined length that is less than the length of the tops of the frames 1 betweenthe loops 5. At its two ends the inner frame member 4 has a rib 17 in line with ribsll and 11a so that when either of the catches is slipped along the rail-shapedtop of the member 4 it can move not only along the rails 11 and 11-abut also along the rail 17 and off the rails 11 and 11-a when the rails 17 are reached. The member 4carries four such short rails or ribs 17, two at eachend on the opposite faces or sides of same. The intermediate frame member 4 carries a fixed stop 19 at the middle to limit the movement of the elements 14 and 18 towards each other; and'the numeral 20 indicates tabs or flaps secured to the frames 1 at the middle of the bag to afford a hold when the bag is to 'bepulled open.

'With the catches 14 and 18 as shown in the Figs. 1 and 2, the bag is entirely closed and the frames 1 are secured against the two sides or faces of the intermediate frame 4. At this time the catch 14 is abutting the stops 13 and 19, being in engagement with the frame member 4 and rail 11 of the member 1 which is presented to the observer. On the side of the bag which is turned away from the observer the catch 14 projects intothe space 12, so that this catch is now effective to hold one frame member 1 against the intermediate member 4. The other catch 18 also abuts the stop 19, and on the side presented to the observer it fills the space 12 between the ribs 11 and 11a; but on the opposite side it engages the rib 11 of the other plate 10 on the otherframe member 1 and closes the compartment or pocket 9 which opens between that frame member and the member 4. 1

To open one compartment of the bag one now slides the catch 14 to the right until it slips off the rib or flange 11 and upon the adjacent rib 17 This catch has in the course of its travel moved along the rib 11-aof the plate 10 attached to the other frame member on the opposite side of the bag; and it runs upon the matching rib 17 of the intermediate frame member 4 at that side also, so that when this catch finally reaches the loop 5 it no longer is effective to hold either I els along the rib 11 of the strip 10 secured lto the other frame member 1 until 'it runs on this rib and upon the two short ribs or rails 17 at the adjacent end of the intermediate member 4 on both faces of the latter. Then the other frame 1 can be swung upon its'hingesto open the remaining compartment 9. If the catch 18 were moved alone, the catch 14 remaining in mid position, the first pocket would remain shut and the catch 18 would run on the rib 11a presented in Fig.1 2 and along the rib 11 on the opposite side of thebag until it slides off the both of these ribs upon the adjacent ribs 17. Then the compartment on the side of the bag turned away from the observer could be opened, while the one onthe side shown in Figs. 4 and 6. Will stay closed. With this construction the receptacle has two pockets therein with very simple means for keeping both pockets shut or enabling both oroneto be edges of the two strips 10, neither interferes I? with the other; because when one catch is moved to release position the space 12 between the ribs 11 and 11a of the strip 10 of the frame member 1 of the pocket which I this catch controls afiords clearance to the other catch, so that the other catch will not prevent the desired pocket from being opened. At the same time a symmetrical construct-ion and disposition of parts comprising ribs 11, ll-a and 17 together with the two elements 14 and 18 on both sides of a line running vertically through the middle of the bag is afiorded.

The principle of this invention can be utilized of course, upon valises, suit cases, vanity cases, watch cases and other containers as well as folding hand bags as shown.

I claim 1. Securing means for a receptacle comprising a body containing a plurality of pockets, said means including frame members hinged together to which the mouths of said pockets are to be secured, and sliding means engaging the frame members to secure and release same and permit access to said pockets.

2. Securing means for a receptacle comprising a body containing compartments, said means including, a pair of frame members to be secured to the edges of the mouth of the body, an intermediate frame member, to which one side of all the compartments is to be secured, and sliding catches mounted on the intermediate frame member to engage the first named frame members to keep the compartments closed or enable them separately to be opened.

3. In securing means for a receptacle of the class described, a pair of main frame mem bers pivoted together, a supplemental frame member pivotally connected with said main frame members intermediate the same, and sliding means mounted on said supplemental frame member, said sliding means being adapted to engage the main frame members to hold them in closed position during the sliding movement, and said main frame members having portions adapted for disengagement of the sliding means to permit opening of the receptacle.

4. Securing means for a receptacle comprising a body with compartments in said body, said means including frame members to be secured to the edges of the mouth of the a body, a supplemental frame member between the first frame members, a partition attached to the supplemental member, said supplemental member bemg rail-shaped and having relatively short ribs its ends at both sides thereof, a pair of ribs rigid with each of said first-named frame members carried above the tops thereof in line with the ribs on the supplemental member, the ribs rigid with the first-named frame members being spaced J apart and one of said ribs being associated with a stop,"and' a pairfof catches mounted on; the topof the supplemental member to slide a mouth and a pair of pockets inside said.

means comprising a pair of inverted U-shaped frame members hinged together at their ends,

the edges of said mouth to be secured to said frame members an intermediate frame member of similar shape hinged to the first-named members at the points of connection of the latter, pl ates along the inner edges of the firstnamed frame members, said plates having one edge projecting above the tops of the first named frame members for a portion of the length of the tops, each of said plates having ribs extending along said edge, said ribs being separated by a space, a stop carried by each of said plates adjacent the middle thereof at the end of one of the ribs thereon, ribs on both sides of theintermediate member at each end of said member in line with the ribs on said plates, a centrally located stop projecting above the top of the intermediate frame memher, and sliding catches mounted on the intermediate frame member and shaped to engage the ribs of both of said plates, said catches being movable to release the first-named frames separately to give access to either of said pockets.

6. Securing means for a receptacle comprising a plurality of compartments consisting of walls with mouth openings between the walls, said means including a pair of outer frame members and an inner intermediate frame member hinged together, the outer frame members carrying the outer walls of the compartments and an upwardly extending strip on the inner walls thereof with a laterally extending rib portion thereon and the inner frame member carrying the inner walls thereof, and a pair of sliding catches engaging the ribs of the outer frame members to secure and release the intermediate and outer frame members with the mouth openings between the walls in closed and open condition, respectively, said sliding catches being operable independently of each other to allow the release of one outer frame member while the other outer frame member is secured. I

7. In a folding receptacle securing means comprising a pair of outer frames and an intermediate frame member with their ends hinged together, said frames having upward ly extending strips on the inner wall thereof and provided with lateral edge ribs thereon, and the intermediate member being provided 4 1,a'z-5,aoe

with an extending edge portion having a groove therein, and a pair of sliding catches, engaging the outer and intermediate frames to secure; and release the. same in closed and open position respectively; said sliding catches being operable independently one of the other to allow the release of one outer frame While the other is secured to the. inter mediate frame member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, and have signed my name here ANTON ZEINDLHOFER-J 

